


Through the Dark, Towards the Light

by SpikeGhost



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-31 02:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6451204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpikeGhost/pseuds/SpikeGhost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a re-telling of the ending of 3x10 "Incident at Stone Manor", Abbie and Ichabod's escape from the underworld and their subsequent reunion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the Dark, Towards the Light

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT:  
> I reworked the fic. The story is the same but i spent a bit more time on it.

The first thing she felt was the light. It hit her like a truck, blinding and disorienting her completely. Less than a moment before she was in complete darkness and now her entire body ached from the light like it hadn't been touched by it in an eternity. 

Then there was the piercing cold. She remembered the water. The water in the well had no substance, it was like swimming through air, but here it prickled and burned at her skin, and it seemed endless. The slippery walls of the well were gone and there was only empty space and harsh light.  

She started moving her arms and legs around, disoriented, blinded and skin burning cold. She moved and as she did, she felt the light become brighter until she breached the surface, taking in her first breath, harsh and desperate and ecstatic. It felt like a rebirth. The pain and pleasure of feeling was a gift she savored with every second as her body readjusted to a world that wasn't in a state of infinite stagnation.  

Time did not exist in the abyss of the catacombs. Neither did life or death. It was impossible to know whether she'd been imprisoned in it's emptiness for days or years and the sudden realization of this as her vision adapted to the light and she made her way towards what she believed was the shore filled her heart with dread and guilt. "How long had she been gone? How long had those who loved her been searching? What horrors had she not been able to protect them from?". All these questions were clouding her mind as slowly, she started to take in her surroundings. She recognized the Hudson River; Abbie Mills was home. 

“Oh thank God.” she said, without much of a voice. It came out in a hoarse whisper. 

Abbie started making her way towards the nearest road, pushing away her fears in the back of her mind. She could not entertain even the possibility that Ichabod hadn't followed her back. She told herself that he would surely be at the Archives waiting for her. This is where she needed to go. This is where she would find him. 

… 

“The candle is supposed to be a tether. It should have snapped him back.” Abbie recognized Jenny’s voice right away.  

She didn’t need to wonder what her sister was talking about. The feelings she'd been keeping at bay resurfaced and she felt like a fist was closing around her heart. She kept on walking nonetheless and entered the room. 

“It was cut.” was the only thing she said. She tried to sound strong but her voice came out weak and trembling. Jenny spun around at the sound of Abbie’s voice.   
-Abbie! 

The younger Mills sister rushed forward to grab her big sister and hug her. Holding her like to make sure that she was really there and it wasn't just a dream or a ghost. Abbie held on as hard as she could. She wanted to get lose herself in this love and relief she felt, but she knew it had to end. She welcomed the loss of the moment as another proof she was back in her own world. She opened her eyes and saw Joe and went to him as soon as her sister let her go to him. She truly felt grounded in reality now that she was with her family, now that she could see them, and touch them and smell them. 

Then she saw Ichabod. He was still unconscious, sitting in the big, ornate chair. He would look almost if not for his head hanging down. She moved fast towards him   
“No, no, no… you were supposed to follow me back.” she said, her voice filled with worry.   
She brushed his cheek with her fingers.  

“I told you to stay with me, Crane.”   
The hand she had put on his cheek was now under his chin, propping his head up. The light pouring in from the windows shone on his face, painting his skin golden. Abbie was struck by his beauty. It was like she was seeing him beyond his physical appearance, she was seeing his soul. This is where it hit her. The love she felt for her fellow witness, was beyond that of a friend. She already knew they were soulmates, but now for the first time she truly understood the meaning of their bond. 

Abbie took Ichabod's left hand in her free hand, holding hard.    
She pushed her forehead against his, trying to contain the tears starting to fill up her eyes. 

“Please, come back to me. We were supposed to make it out together” she said, her voice breaking slightly.  

He was warm against her skin.   
She took a breath, steadying herself. 

“I need you Ichabod.” escaped from her mouth, a whispered prayer for him only to hear. 

There was a spark and a flash of light that, unlike Joe and Jenny, she ignored. Next to them the candle had lit back up. She ignored it too, instead keeping her eyes locked on Ichabod. 

A moment passed, then Ichabod awoke, Taking in a sharp breath, like Abbie had done when she reached the surface of the Hudson. 

… 

The first thing he saw once his vision returned and his eyes had accustomed to the light was her face, her brown skin glowing in the sunlight. He thought her a heavenly messenger before her recognized her. He looked at her like she was godsend, he truly believed she was. Her eyes were wide; she looked more vulnerable than he’d ever seen her even in the catacombs. 

“Abbie?”, he paused, taking in the sight, hoping it was real. He reached out, trying to touch her. He couldn't even see Joe and Jenny until they were on him, trying to make sure he was fine. Nevertheless, he kept looking at Abbie. “In the darkness, I heard your voice… I followed it” 

Abbie’s voice was trembling again “We made it.” 

Ichabod acknowledged the his friends who had helped him find Abbie as they both exited the room to allow the witnesses to have a moment.   
Abbie could barely look at him, pointlessly trying to look strong but her eyes darting away when she couldn't; he could not look away from her. He was lost in her, her face, her vulnerability, her soul; he saw her like he'd never seen anyone before. His love for her was clearer than it had ever been before. Every challenge and all the obstacles he had gone through had brought him here, soul bared and pure. In front of his soulmate, the woman he loved more than he had ever loved anyone or anything in his entire existence. He caressed her hand softly and refused to let go.  

... 

Abbie was crying. For the first time allowing herself to be seen without barriers as her small hands were enveloped in Ichabod's. He was looking at her like he was trying to memorize every single detail about her: her hands; the length of her fingers, he brushed his fingers over her nails to feel the texture and admired the shades of brown of her skin.  

He looked back at her and brought one of his hands to her face, wiping away a tear. Their eyes were locked on one another.   
Time stopped, or that what it felt like until Ichabod broke the silence. 

 “May I kiss you?” he asked, his voice was raw and desperate 

“God, Yes.” she answered, her voice breaking again and as tears started to roll down her cheeks again. 

With his hand still on her face he brought his face close to her. Their foreheads touched and their lips brushed slightly sending shivers through them like an electric shock. All of their nerves were on fire as their lips finally met. 

Abbie Mills and Ichabod Crane were one. Bound together for eternity. 


End file.
